meal plan

Menu Monday {Jan 25, 2016}

IMG_2147

It’s always good to start the week off with a plan but as we all know, life with children and a husband who was traveling for work, it can get a bit unpredictable and crazy. We never had the on Tuesday because we had more than enough left overs of the Chicken Soup. And I used the white meat from the chicken to make several homemade chicken salad sandwiches…my husband’s favorite lunch! I did make the Mustard Chicken but served it with rice instead of spaghetti squash and a potato…much easier! The Little Big Meal from The Fresh Market was DELICIOUS!! I can’t wait to check out what they will have this week! We ended up eating the The Pioneer Woman’s Sloppy Joes (the best recipe ever!) Friday AND Saturday night so we saved the Pork Chops for Sunday night. I didn’t have the kids try it because I needed to feed them earlier and I knew we weren’t going to be eating until later. These pork chops NEED to go on a regular rotation because they were OUT OF THIS WORLD!

10375132_10204794209071211_7197315111654243430_n

Homemade Whole Chicken & Veggie Soup

12670617_10206093072421983_5784593675840324409_n

Mustard Chicken, Broccoli & Jasmine Rice

12654413_10206093072141976_4986497059553722169_n

12642735_10206093072181977_3901682966002475020_nThe Fresh Market’s Big Little Meal

12592675_10206093072021973_3756552270732295040_n12644954_10206093072701990_2232779901406681537_n

The Pioneer Woman’s Sloppy Joes

 

12651359_10206093071901970_5086475587325325536_n

Ruhlman’s Twenty Brined & Fried Pork Chops and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

What do you have cooking this week?

 

 

Advertisement

Menu Monday {Jan 18, 2016}

12573723_10206040570189460_8908550848184752898_n

 

12494677_10206040570989480_2938604831452530388_n

Pan Seared Salmon, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Pasta, Kale & White Bean Soup from my monthly Pampered Chef Cooking Club. Also shown Creamy Chipotle Lime Sauce & Hollandaise Sauce

5506_10206040570829476_1516471619489304287_n

Skinnytaste’s Stuffed Pepper Soup

12439549_10206040570309463_6948673426221449083_n

Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken& Veggies from Damn Delicious

Oops…forgot to take an after picture. Definitely adding this dish to the regular rotation! Husband, kid & babysitter approved!

 

12510259_10206040571189485_2713408321557124989_n

Skinnytaste’s Baked Pasta with Spinach & Sausage

12631487_10206052745173827_2837745125194900652_n

Ahhh…Saturday Date Night In! The husband found a great recipe from his new cookbook, Ruhlman’s Tweny, Coq Au Vin. Oh my! Delicious! Even the kids ate it…well just the chicken…no skin & no evidence of any mushrooms or sauce on it. Ok, they just ate the chicken. But still that’s a win!

What do you have cooking this week?

 

 

Weekly Meal Plan for August 3 – August 9

20150807-083635.jpg

My mother, sister, nephew and niece were in town visiting this week and I was beyond excited to cook for them. It was a bit trickier than usual because the big kids really didn’t nap but we got it done. It really does take a village to raise a family, doesn’t it?

10416981_10203362826047530_5676529786616810818_n

Malaspine Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes & Roasted Broccoli

Now, my mother had this meatloaf the last time she was in town and she LOVED it! So of course I had to make it again for her. This was a huge hit with everyone, kids included! My mother in law, sister in law and her kids stopped by the next day and I fed them the leftovers. They loved it too! Seriously, if you are looking for a great meatloaf recipe, this is the one.

The kids did not love the broccoli because of all the garlic but us grown ups gobbled it up with no problems! Ha!

10375132_10204794209071211_7197315111654243430_n

Jenn’s Chicken & Veggie Soup

This one was easy to do with the family in town. I chose to make this one on the day that we stayed home. It takes about 2-3 hours in the oven. I have done it in the crock pot as well and it’s good but I really love it in the dutch oven. Best. Comfort. Food. Ever.

11011572_10204612744814718_8681767237815240664_n

Chicken Mozzerella Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ahhh….one of my husband’s favorite meals! There were no leftovers this night. Even the kids ate it! I left out the red pepper flakes for the kids but sprinkled them on ours. The red pepper flakes give it a nice kick!

20150211-173922.jpg

Lasagna Soup

My sister is the one that told me I needed to make this so I knew her and her kids would love it. I was a little worried about my mother though. She loves lasagna but I wasn’t sure she would go for it as a soup. But she was living in my house, under my roof for the week so she had to eat it, right?!?! Hahaha! I’ve always wanted to say that!

I used regular sausage instead of the chicken sausage the recipe calls for. I love all the skinnytaste.com recipes but I tend to fatten them up just a bit.  😉

Mother LOVED the soup! I overheard her tell my daughter that I was a great cook. OMG! I learned from one of the best cooks around!

Desserts:

We put a HUGE dent in the #GoBigOrGoHome birthday cake but we still needed something sweet. I had to make my mother’s favorite banana bread and I also wanted to make something new for them. Cannoli Cake was it! My mother and my sister LOVED it! I should have made that at the beginning of the week because now I have a ton left and they flew back to NJ today.

20150806-230906.jpg

Cannoli Poke Cake

20150508-151608.jpg

Banana Bread

What favorite meals do you like to cook when you have family in town?

Enjoy all the recipes!

Happy Cooking!

and Happy Eating!

Katie 🙂

Hey, Plan To Eat users…look me up and let’s swap recipes!

MrsRoemersNest

Weekly Meal Plan for July 27 – July 31

20150727-123303.jpg

20150727-191708.jpg

Tilapia with Garlic Roasted Tomatoes & Corn

 

10375132_10204794209071211_7197315111654243430_n

Jenn’s Chicken Veggie Soup

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

(I must remember to get a picture!)

20150727-095541.jpg

Honey Balsamic Chicken Breasts & Veggies

And here’s a shopping list for this week’s meals, minus the brisket, burgers and hotdogs. We are having the family over to celebrate my daughter’s 3rd birthday and my husband usually does the shopping and the grilling for the cookouts! Love that man!

I would LOVE to connect with some more Plan To Eat users! Look me up… MrsRoemersNest

Happy Cooking!

Katie 🙂

simple-meal-planning-200200-1

Meal Plan Week of July 20 – July 24

I’m in the mood to cook this week!!

–Honey Balsamic Chicken Breasts and Veggies

11057267_1620766601534908_1182442020579506846_n

–Tilapia with Garlic Roasted Tomatoes & Corn

–Chicken Mozzarella Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

11011572_10204612744814718_8681767237815240664_n

–Lasagna Soup

20150211-173922.jpg

–Chicken In Basil Cream

And a shopping list!

Happy Cooking!!

xoxo

Momma’s Favorite Banana Bread

 

20150508-165631.jpgWe’ve all had bananas ripen way too quickly before and believe it or not, I used to throw them away! I will never, never, never do that again. A few years ago, I stumbled upon this recipe from Simply Recipes for the BEST banana bread I’ve ever eaten. It is soooo easy to make! My four year old can even make it all by herself…well almost all by herself.  😉

20150508-165653.jpgMash 2-3 very ripe bananas with a fork and stir the melted butter in. I melt it in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds.

Mix in the baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar (I always use a full cup even though the directions say you can use less), egg and vanilla. Next up, mix in the flour. I love to add a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips in the mix too. Trust me, it makes this bread phenomenal!

20150508-165711.jpgAfter you pour the batter into the greased loaf pan, sprinkle a few more chocolate chips on top and cook for about 50 mins at 350 degrees. The directions say 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, but I have found that it is done WAYYYY before that. Set your timer for 50 minutes and check it with a toothpick. I bet you won’t need to cook it for much longer than that.

20150508-165731.jpgThis bread freezes great! Even if you aren’t in the mood to have banana bread in the house (but seriously, who doesn’t want banana bread in the house!), use those old yucky bananas to make some out-of-this-world banana bread. Let it cool completely, wrap it in tin foil and then place it in a labeled freezer bag.

This is one of my mother’s favorite desserts. I always make sure I have a loaf or two in my freezer when she comes down for a visit. I LOVE sitting at the table with my beautiful momma, a cup of coffee and this bread. It’s one of my favorite things to do when she comes to visit. I love you mother. Happy Mother’s Day! xoxo

Hey, Plan To Eat friends…click here to add it to your planner!

Happy Cooking!!

xoxo

 

 

Best Cilantro Dressing EVER!

20150508-165610.jpg

The weather has been gorgeous lately…cool temps in the morning perfect for early morning runs, sunny and warm in the afternoon along with a few afternoon showers. It’s really starting to feel like summertime!

Which reminds me…bathing suit season is right around the corner! I wanted to get away from all the comfort food I’ve been making lately. A friend of mine shared her weekly meal plan and introduced me to The Garden Grazer. You need to go check this site out! Seriously. This site is FULL of wonderfully delicious vegetarian and vegan meals!

I made Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro Dressing the other night but I added some chicken for the hubby. He enjoys salad as much as I do but more as a side dish, not for the main course.

20150508-165550.jpg

I didn’t have much time to search for a “recipe” of any sorts so I just spritzed the chicken with olive oil and sprinkled McCormick’s Chipotle & Roasted Garlic seasoning on top. I cooked it for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Perfect!

20150508-164933.jpg

I washed and spun dry the romaine lettuce, chopped the orange pepper, cherry tomatoes, green onions & cilantro. Then I started prepping for the dressing, all while the chicken cooked. Super easy!

20150508-165511.jpgI’m not a fan of avocado, so I chose to use plain greek yogurt for the dressing. I added lime juice, garlic, olive oil, white wine vinegar and salt. Kaitlin, The Garden Grazer, recommended to add a bit of honey if the dressing tasted too tart. I’m used to plain greek yogurt but I wasn’t sure the hubby would like it as much so I added the honey to sweeten it and it came out great! Next time, I would LOVE to try it with some cayenne pepper! I love a lil’ kick!

Since it was the just two of us, I made individual bowls. I put the romaine in, a few spoonfuls of veggies and topped it with the Cilantro Dressing.

Would you believe that while we were cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, I saw the corn and black beans sitting on the counter…completely untouched. Yep, I forgot to add them. Ha! So maybe the salad wasn’t quite as “southwestern” as it was supposed to be but it was still amazing!

20150508-165451.jpgThis dressing is so unbelievably delicious that I think I’m going to make it the next time we host a party. I’ll chop up a bunch of fresh veggies and leave them out to dip in the dressing. Although, my husband told me that he doesn’t need any lettuce or veggies, he just needs a spoon! Score! This one is a keeper! Thank you Kaitlin!

Here’s the recipe on The Garden Grazer‘s site and for all my Plan To Eat friends, click here to add it to your planner for next week!

Happy Cooking!

xoxo

Taking A Chance

924eaaa774247674334d82ef5e428630(image found on Pinterest)

I was scrolling through pics on Instagram, and stopped when I came across Orlando Moms Blog post. They were looking for new blog contributors. What? Seriously? The post said they wanted local moms who “inspire, encourage, support, inform and simply share this journey of motherhood we’re all navigating together.” I paused, caught my breath and said, “This is the perfect job for me.”

And in the very next thought, all the negative, self destructive thoughts came flooding in. They would never pick you. You aren’t a writer. When would I find time to do this, IF they even picked me. What could I actually contribute??

I shut that voice up and went to sleep. The next morning on my run, it was all I could think of. This was meant for me. I knew. I felt it. But could I actually get the nerve up to apply for it?? That was the million dollar question.

I only had a few days until the deadline to submit the application. I knew that if I let this opportunity pass, I would be more upset than if I applied and didn’t get the job. So…I shoved all those insecurities in a box, duct taped it closed and answered those questions. All that was left to do was hit ‘Submit.’

{Insert Jeopardy music here…..}

It took a while…maybe a few hours. It wasn’t until my sister pretty much yelled at me through text that I went running to the computer, pulled up the application and sent it in.

HOLY CRAP! What did I just do??

A few weeks went by and I hadn’t heard anything. I just assumed the new contributors were chosen and I didn’t receive my “Sorry, try again next time” email. And I was okay with that. I was glad that I took the chance. I didn’t have any regrets.

I was feeding the baby in the car, waiting for the big kids to finish school and I happened to check my email. Low and behold, there it was. I received an email from Orlando Moms Blog but it was asking me to join the team!!! I freaked out. I cried. I was shaking. I couldn’t believe it. I still can’t believe it.

My first post for Orlando Moms Blog,”Stock Your Freezer. It will save your sanity. I promise” went live this morning. In it, I give a bunch of simple freezer cooking tips to help make the endless task of feeding the family a bit easier. It saved my sanity and it can save your. Promise.

Stock-your-freezer

Happy Cooking!

xoxo

Meal Plan For The Week of April 13th

Meal Plan for the week…

Black Bean Soup & Roasted Broccoli (LOVE this one!!)
20150401-144247.jpg

Shrimp & Asparagus Stir Fry w Lemon Sauce

(**new one**)

Teriyaki Chicken w Vegetables

(**new one**)

Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Chili

(one to eat & one to freeze!)

20150401-144224.jpg

Click here for the shopping list!

I’m going to start including the shopping list when I post a meal plan for the week. Right now, I’m just copying & pasting the list Plan To Eat creates for me. This will definitely take a little tweaking to get it just right, so hang in there with me. And please share any comments or suggestions on how to make it easier or more user friendly.

Happy Cooking!

xoxo

simple-meal-planning-200200-1

Easter Ain’t Over Til The Hambone Gets Crocked

20150407-184154.jpg

My favorite comfort food of all time…Crock Pot Split Pea Soup!! Both my mother and my father would make this anytime they had a hambone and it always made the house smell wonderful but did I ever eat it?? NO. It looked disgusting AND it had peas in it AND a giant ham bone. No thank you. Looking back, I really wish that I had tried it…at least once, so that I could have something to compare it to.

It’s always around the holidays when I feel homesick the most and it’s usually when I do best cooking. So, this Easter was no different from any other..gotta save the hambone for some home cooked soup. You know, making comfort food to comfort my heart, or at least try.

Split Pea Soup has got to be one the easiest soups to make and it brings great comfort to my heart and also to my belly. It makes a ton so get ready to share with family or friends or stick some in a ziploc bag and freeze it. It freezes great! I recommend freezing it in single portions. That way when the husband is out of town and you don’t want to cook but you are looking for a lil’ comfort…just take a bag out of the freezer and voila! Comfort food without any work.

20150407-184000.jpg

Rinse the peas and put in the crock pot first. Next, add the hambone. Add the potatoes, carrots, onion, salt and pepper. Fill with water, leaving about 1/2 inch at the top. Cover and set on low for 10 hours.

After 10 hours, your soup will look like this:

20150407-184055.jpg

Remove the hambone very gently.

20150407-184016.jpg

Stir the soup. The peas will lose their shape and the soup will thicken. If you want an even thicker soup, mash the potatoes with a fork…I love a thick pea soup!

20150407-184035.jpg

Shred the ham with a fork and add as much or as little back into the soup as you would like. I like just a bit but to my husbands bowl, I add a bunch!

20150407-184122.jpg

Enjoy! Happy Cooking!

And please let me know if you decide to try it. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts!

You can also find me on Pinterest & Facebook.

Love,

Mrs. Roemer 😉

xoxo